III. FAITH. 1. Prayer gives no /111,formati<Yn, t-0 God. (1) " Thy Father seeth in secret." God reads all hearts. (2) "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of." God knows his own resources. (3) He knoweth "before ye ask him." "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning." 2. Prayer is enjoined to help us to feel, our need. (1) God requires the sense of their need in suppliants for their own sake, viz. that they may value the blessings they may receive. (2) Prayer is admir- ably suited to awaken and deepen this sense of need. (3) Ily the sense of our need we " m'l.ko known our requests t,o God" (Phil. iv. 6). 3. It is also enjoined to encour- age our faith in God. (I) We come to God as our "Father." He is our Father by creation. By covenant. (2) He has the heart and resources of a Father. What merit is there in our prayers? Yet such is the heart of kindness of our Father that he places them amongst our services. "Thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee.'' (3) He is our heavenly Father. So his rewards contrast with those received from men by the hypocrite. While the hypocrite in gaining the praises of men "has received bis reward," and has no more to expect, the true man will evermore continue to receive his rewards from the everlasting Father. That eye of God which is formidable to the hypocrite is bliss to the sincere and true.-J. A. M. Vers. 9, 10.-The Lord's Prayer (part 1). In the Gospel of Luke this prayer is given in still briefer form. The occasion there was that the disciples, after the Lord had prayed, said to him, ",Lord teach us to pray, even as John also taught.his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray,say." Here, however," .After this manner pray ye." The use of/arms is sanctioned; so is eztemporary prayer. Better a "form of sound words" than no family worship. Consider- L THE ADDRESS TO Gon. 1. It is a great truth that God is ou1• Father. (1) He is the Creator, not the Fa.ther, of his other works. Ethers; minerals; vegetables ; animals. No kindredness of nature to God in these. (2) He is the "Father of spirits." Every attribute of the human spirit is the image of a corresponding Divine attribute. Intellects; affections. (3) Even the body of man was made after .the simili- tude of the Lord (cf. Gen. i. 26; ii 7). The body is the material image or the soul. When God revealed himself to man, his similitude was the appearance of a man (see Ezek. i. 26---28). 2. This Divine title is proper to the gospel dispensation; (1) It is a. notable fact that the title" Father" seldom occurs in Old Testament Scripture. Nowhere is God there invoked as a Father. (2) There is a reason of propriety. 'fhe spirit of the Law was/ear. The Law was given amidst horrors and alarms. Its rites imposed an oppressive burden. (3) It is also a notable fact that the title "Father" is of frequent occurrence in the New Testament. It is the familiar title in Christian invocation. The Lord's Prayer is the model for all Christian prayer. (4) There is also a reason of propriety here. The spirit of the gospel is love. It is the spirit of sonship and liberty. Thie is all embodied in the mystery of the incarnation of the proper Son of God (see Gal. iv. 1-7). 3. Note the plural,, OUR Father. (1) The use of the singular is very sweet. It is suited sometimes to the closet. Sometimes to ejaculatory prayer. (2) The plural recognizes the common Fatherhood of God. So the common brother- hood of man. Its use should cure war, strikes, domestic feuds. (3) It recognizes brotherhood in Christ. He is every man's Brother (cf. Gen. ix. 6). 'l'Le family of God is named after him (cf. Eph. iii. 14, 15). (4) In its common use nil the sons of God pray for each. This fa better than each praying exclusively for himself. Better for each, better for all. 4. Note the place of his residence. (1) God is in the mechanical heavens. He moves the spheres. He give the tides. So the seasons. The elements are his servants. His miracles evince his presence in nature. His provi- dence in nature is constant. Sohe can make nature respond to prayer. (2) He isin the supernal heaven. The heaven of heavens. The third heaven. 'l'he palace of angels. The place of vision. (3) He that rules all heavens is our Father I What an honour I How superior should we be to the meanness of sin I II. THE ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE. 1. The Name of God stands fur himself. (l) It represents his nature (cf. Exod. xuiii. 18, 19; xxxiv. 6-7). (2) It is hid Word. Christ is the Revealer of the Father (cf. Exod. xxiii 20, 21; lea.. lii. 6; John i. 18; viii. 19; 1 Tim. vi. 1; Titus ii 5). 2. To hallow ia to revere God's Name. (1) " Father" ii! a title in which reverence, as well as love, is claimed. So it was under• oe. vt.1-34.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 267
stood by the sons of the prophets. Bo by Joaeh King of Israel (cf. 2 Kings ii. 12; vi. 21; xiii. 14). (2) Cheerful obedience is the true reverence of love (see eh. xxiii. 9). (3) To hallow the Name of the Father ie to honour the Father in the Son (cf. John v. 22, 23; 1 John ii. 23). 3. The Name of the Father should be everywhere revered. (1) It is revered in heaven (cf. ver. 10; Isa. vi. 1-3; Rev. iv. 8-11). (2) But is ;t so revered on earth? In the sanctuary it ie revered. The Church is the ki □ gdom of heaven upon earth. But in the world the sacred Name fa horribly blasphemed. (3) The blessed day ie coming when the glory of the Lord will fill the e.arth as now it fills the heavens. Pray for this. Strive for thie.-J, A. M.